Leeds Lit Fest is an annual literature festival in Leeds that celebrates books, writing, poetry, storytelling, ideas, and spoken-word performance. It was founded in 2018, with the first festival taking place in 2019, to fill the gap of Leeds not having a citywide literature festival despite its strong literary community.

The festival is organised by a partnership of Leeds-based literary and arts organisations and aims to:

• Showcase local, national, and international writers.
• Support emerging authors and poets.
• Encourage community participation in reading and creative writing.
• Promote inclusion and engagement with diverse audiences.

For 2026, the festival runs from 6-14 June and features more than 50 events across the city, including:

• Author talks and book discussions.
• Poetry and spoken-word performances.
• Creative writing workshops.
• Publishing and bookselling events.
• Exhibitions and community projects.
• Activities for children and young people.

Notable 2026 guests include Vince Cable, John Hegley, Kim Moore, and David Hartley.

The festival has earned national recognition, winning Best Literary Festival at the Saboteur Awards in both 2020 and 2022.